Regret
by beaner008
Summary: Prue feels more overwhelmed than ever and a tragic accident can only make things worse. In Murphy’s Luck, the girls talked about an accident when Prue was twenty that resulted with Phoebe in the hospital for over a week. This is my take on what happens
1. Chapter 1: The Unwanted Life

In Murphy's Luck, the girls talked about an accident that happened when Prue was twenty that ended up with Phoebe in the hospital for over a week. This is my take on what happened.

1992

Prue – 20

Piper – 18

Phoebe – 15

Prue pulled up to the curb in front of the Manor. This was the last thing that she wanted to do. As a junior in college she was supposed to be having the time of her life. For goodness sakes, she should be living in a dorm. Instead, she was here. She had gotten to the point where she couldn't venture outside everything that was familiar and she was practically a stay at home mom. At least, she had this weekend. Her friends had invited her to head up to the mountains and stay at their cottage and ski. It would be great. No sisters, no Grams, no responsibility.

Prue stared up at the Manor. A big part of her didn't want to go in. She leaned back with her head against the head rest and closed her eyes. Maybe they wouldn't see her. Just maybe.

Suddenly a knock on the window pulled her abruptly from her thoughts. It was dusk, but she could still see her sister standing close to her window. She felt badly about how she had been treating her sister lately. She couldn't even wrap her mind around why she was being so mean to her. Every little thing that she did had been setting her off.

Prue gave an exasperated sigh.

"What?" she asked angrily as she got out of the car.

Apparently, I still can't control my anger, Prue thought to herself. Prue opened the back of her car to grab her books from the day.

"Just seeing what you were doing. You passed me a couple blocks back," Phoebe's voice trailed off. "I waved."

"I'm sorry, Pheebs, I just had a long day," Prue said not making eye contact with her as she headed toward the front steps.

"I know," Phoebe replied, somewhat more chipper than Prue anticipated. "I figured."

Phoebe looked down at her feet as they climbed the steps into the house. Prue was about to ask Phoebe how her day was but Phoebe threw her bag on the floor in front of Prue when they got into the foyer. Prue was too irritated by then to care what Phoebe's day was like.

"Grams!!!" Phoebe yelled and she ran toward the kitchen.

"Phoebe, don't scream in the house!" Prue called after her.

"Hey you," Piper said as she descended down the stairs. "Long day?"

"Aren't they all?" Prue laughed. "I hate to say it Piper, but I wish I was you. A senior in high school, eighteen. Perfect life."

"Oh shut up Prue, you're twenty and in college. I'm the one who's jealous."

"Do you see me living the college life, Piper?" Prue said slightly more serious. "I don't think so."

"Don't start with me," Piper said as she moved Phoebe's bag.

"Make her do that, Piper. She's so lazy."

"Don't be a bitch to her, Prue, just because you're grumpy about your life," Piper said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Prue watched after Piper as she walked back into the kitchen. She was taken aback by Piper's words. She knew Piper was right and her words weren't intended to be hurtful, but they hurt Prue. Prue sometimes didn't catch how mean she could be.

Grams walked through the door and interrupted Prue's thoughts.

"Hello, Prue," Grams said with a slight tiredness in her voice. "I'm so glad you're here, I was about to call you."

Prue gave a sigh.

"About what, Grams?"

"I need you to stay with the girls this weekend, something has come up and Gail needs me."

"Grams, Piper and Phoebe both babysit, I don't understand why they need babysitting," Prue said slightly aggravated. "I made plans with some of my friends this weekend. Friends? You know I do have them." 

Grams started to walk toward the stairs.

"Prudence, you three are stronger together," Grams said without turning around.

Prue didn't know it then, but Grams's words would prove truer than she could have ever imagined in about seven years.

"I'm not arguing, Prue. You need to stay here. I will be back by Monday, maybe Tuesday. . ."

"Grams, that's not a weekend, that's five days!" Prue yelled. "Are you kidding me?"

Grams stopped at the top of the stairs. Prue could tell she was getting angry. Penny turned and walked back down the stairs.

"I know you feel like this isn't the hand you were meant to be dealt, Prue. I know that you feel like I've wronged you in some way. Your sisters need you here. I need you here. This is why you moved in remember? This is your responsibility, whether you like it or not." Her voice was calmer than Prue expected. "And this is no longer an issue." Grams turned and walked up the stairs.

Prue was fuming. She collapsed into a chair in the front room. Her friends had gone out of the way for her. They always let her bunk at their places when Prue wanted to stay on campus. This weekend was a way to pay them back. She had offered to drive up the mountains. Her car was perfect. Now she had to disappoint them again.

On queue Phoebe rounded the corner.

"What's wrong?" Phoebe asked with a cookie in hand.

"You're ruining everything as usual," Prue spat.

"Hi, are you eight years old?" Phoebe retorted. "Seriously, though, what's your issue?"

"Grams is making me babysit you when I had plans this weekend," Prue said angrily.

"So," Phoebe said much to Prue's surprise.

"So? I have to stay here," Prue said no understanding why Phoebe didn't get it.

"Piper and I will cover for you. Go and have fun," Phoebe said like it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Are you joking?" Prue said not sure of how she felt about this proposal.

Phoebe finished her cookie.

"You said it yourself, Prue," Phoebe said with a smirk. "We don't need a babysitter."

Prue looked at Phoebe for a moment contemplating the idea. Piper and Phoebe had been doing fine. She would play it by ear. Tomorrow was Friday. The girls would be fine just for a weekend right? Prue would be back by Sunday evening and she would beat Grams back home. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

Phoebe smiled back at Prue.

"You're life isn't that bad, Prue," Phoebe said as she walked out of her room. And for some reason the words stung Prue. However, she couldn't figure out just quite why.


	2. Chapter 2: Our Biggest Mistakes

Part 2

Prue sat in her last class of the week. It was a fairly large class in the anthropology department. There were at least eighty other students. Prue spotted her friend, Gary across the room as she finished writing the last slide. Gary was the one who invited her to the mountains this weekend.

When the professor looked at the clock and released the class, Prue made her way over to Gary. He gave a soft smile when he saw her coming his way.

"Hey, you," he said with a grin. "You bailing on me?"

Prue gave a laugh, she had been known to bail on him because of her family.

"Haha," Prue said, "I hope not. I have to tie up a few loose ends at home, but I will be there. Don't worry."

Gary laughed. "I am glad you're able to come. You need some fun in your life."

"Don't I know it," Prue laughed as she followed him out of the lecture hall. "I'll let you know later this afternoon when I can meet you all."

Gary smiled.

"Sounds perfect."

A short time later Prue pulled up to the high school. Phoebe was still in soccer practice and Piper had an afterschool club. Prue thought she was early, but both of her sisters sat on the curb.

Prue parked her car and went up to the girls on the curb.

"What happened?"

Piper and Phoebe both looked at each other.

"You need to go inside, Prue," Piper finally said. "Principle Higgins wants to speak to you."

Prue's blood started to boil.

"Don't move!"

Prue walked down the familiar halls of Baker Hall. She felt young again. The secretary in the school's office recognized her right away.

"Prudence. Mr. Higgins is expecting you."

Great, Prue thought.

Prue knocked gently on his door. His office hadn't changed a bit. Although she wasn't in his office very much in high school, it felt as if she never left.

"Good afternoon, sir."

"Come in, Prudence," he said rather warmly. "Sit down. I'm not sure what your sisters told you. Let's begin with Phoebe."

Prue unconsciously released an annoyed sigh.

"It's not as bad as you may think. Couch Michael suspended her from the soccer team for the game this weekend. She got shoved by one of the seniors on the team. A fight broke out. I want you do know that both Phoebe and the other senior were suspended from the game tomorrow."

Prue shook her head. She had talked to Phoebe about walking away.

"Now Piper's situation may come as a surprise to you. She was suspended from school."

Prue was shocked.

"What!? Are you kidding? Are you sure we have the right Piper?" Prue asked in shock.

"Your sister was a part of a mass protest led by the senior class."

"Protesting what?" Prue asked.

"The cafeteria food. The protest led to a riot, which led to a food fight. Everyone involved was suspended until Wednesday."

Prue was fuming.

"I'm terribly sorry, Principle Higgins. I will discuss this with them. Their behavior is unacceptable."

Prue began to leave but Mr. Higgins called out to her.

"Prudence, they aren't bad girls. It just sounds like they had terrible days. I'm sorry they have to pay the consequences. Don't be too hard on them or yourself for that matter," he said gently.

Pru'e rage blinded her from understanding the depth of his words but she nodded and left. Before she exited out of the front she stopped at the payphone.

"Hi, Gary? It's Prue."

"Hi Prue! How are you? You sound stressed."

"I am, Gary. I'm terribly sorry but I can't come with up to the mountain. My sisters are ruining my life." Prue groaned.

"Don't worry about it, Prue. I figured you might have something come up so I arranged for Rick to drive."

Prue deflated. They expected her to bail.

"Alright then. Have fun," she said half-heartedly.

"You too Prue. Good luck."

Piper and Phoebe sat on the curb in silence. They were fearful of what Prue was going to say. Grams had left this morning and Prue was supposed to leave this afternoon. Either way they knew that Prue wouldn't be happy. Their thoughts were broken when Prue stormed out of the school.

"Get in the car!"

Piper went around to the backseat behind the driver's side and Phoebe opened the door to the backseat behind the passenger's side.

"Get in the front seat, Phoebe! I'm not going to be your chauffeur**.**"

Phoebe sheepishly got into the front. Little did Prue know that this order may have changed the events whic may cause Phoebe her life.

Prue got into the front seat. Her hands were clenched onto the steering wheel in rage.

"Are you kidding me?!" she finally yelled.

"I'm sorry, Prue," Phoebe said quietly.

"I'm too angry right now, Phoebe! I had to call Gary to cancel. The stunt you guys pulled cost me my weekend!"

Prue started the car and sped off.

"Prue, it's not like we were hustling drugs," Piper finally said. "We were both standing up for ourselves. Isn't that what you want us to do?"

Prue glared at Piper in her rear view mirror.

"Seriously, Piper? You started a riot!"

"Prue! I didn't mean to do it. We were just protesting the food," Piper pleaded.

Phoebe sat quietly in the seat listening to her sisters argue unsure if she should say something.

"The food, Pipe sucks, but it doesn't mean you have to cause a scene!" Prue screamed. "I'm so sick of the two of you taking over my life! Sometimes I wish I didn't have little sisters!"

Prue continued to fume and didn't notice Piper sink into the back seat with tearful eyes. A silence fell onto the car. Phoebe finally found her courage.

"You didn't have to cancel your weekend, Prue," Phoebe finally said.

"Are you kidding, Phoebe!" Prue yelled as she turned her eyes away from the road to look at Phoebe. "You guys are so irresponsible that you both got suspended and you're telling me to leave you at home for the weekend? No way!"

"Prue—'' Phoebe started. Her voice was heightened in a panic that Prue didn't seem to hear for she had noticed the upcoming red light that Prue apparently hadn't according to how fast she was still going. Prue continued to glare at Phoebe.

"No, Phoebe! You are so irresponsible that I cannot even begin to –-''

Suddenly Prue felt a jolt of impact as another vehicle hit their car on the right side, Phoebe's side. Then her world went black.


	3. Chapter 3: The Aftermath

Part 3

Prue came to but kept her eyes shut due to a pulsing pain in her head. She brought her hand up to her head to support it.

"Piper? Phoebe? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," she heard a voice behind her.

Prue opened her eyes.

"Pheebs?" she turned over to her youngest sister and her horror and fear set in.

Her baby sister was unconscious. The car directly hit the front of her side and the window and door had been crushed. Phoebe had glass in her hair and on her face. Her body and legs were entangled into the mess of the door.

Prue reached her hand out and put it behind Phoebe's head. When she took hand away she saw the blood on her fingers. Tears began to well up in her eyes and cascade down her face.

At that moment, Phoebe stirred.

"P-p-prue."

Prue let out a sigh of relief.

"Phoebe you are okay. You need to stay awake. I can hear the sirens. I need you stay awake."

"It h-h-hurts, Prue. I-i-i-is P-p-p-piper okay?" Phoebe's voice shook in fear.

Prue turned and looked at Piper in the backseat. Piper had managed to get out of her seat belt and lean foreword toward Phoebe. Prue let out a sign of relief. Pip er was moving and awake. She was okay.

"She's okay," prue said soothingly when she turned back to Phoebe. "Phoebe?"

Phoebe's eyes were closed.

"Phoebe wake up!" Piper pleaded.

"Phoebe!"

Before Prue could say anything else her door was opened and an EMT started asking her questions.

"Hi, my name is Kaleb. I need you to listen to me. I am going to ask you a few questions. Are you hurt anywhere?"

Prue couldn't hear him. She was too focused on Phoebe. She attention was turned somewhere else.

It was then that everything began to blur. She couldn't describe how she got from the car and to the ambulance

"Help my sister! I'm fine," Prue said as she regained her voice "See? Help her!"

The EMT was saying things to her as he led her away from the car and toward the ambulance. Prue looked over her shoulder and watched as Piper was also examined and removed from the car.

"Listen to me, Prue!" Kaleb yelled enough to get her attention. "You wont be any help to her if you are in a bed next to her because you wouldn't let me properly examine you. Your head is bleeding."

"Fine," Prue said in defeat.

After what seemed like forever, Kaleb finally stopped asking her questions.

"Are we finished?"

"We need to take you to the emergency room and get you check out one last time. I want to make sure that you don't have internal injuries. Your adrenaline is pumping. You might not feel them. Let's get you buckled into this stretcher."

"But Phoebe's not out of the car yet," Prue pleaded. "I'm not leaving her."

"The crew is getting her out now. They needed special tools.—''

"Tools? For what?"

"They couldn't get the car door open."

"She was in the door, they will pull her apart!" Prue didn't remember the point when she became hysterical, but she was there.

"Prue, calm down!" Kaleb yelled as Prue began to pull the bandages he had just placed. "Mike, I need to sedate her!"

Prue fought her best to get to Phoebe. She fought so hard she didn't really even notice the other paramedics holding her. She was focused on her sister. She couldn't get the picture of the blood out of her head. the next thing she knew she woke up in an the hospital emergency room.

"Shhhh," she heard a soothing voice.

"Mom?" Prue asked.

"No, my name is Pat. I'm a intern. The doctors have looked you over. Everything seems to be okay. You just need to keep that cut on your forehead clean." Pat said soothingly.

"Where are my sisters?" Prue asked as she sat up.

Pat tried to calm her down. Another intern peaked her head around the corner.

"Pat, they need your help in exam room 2."

"Okay," Pat responded. "Stay here. I will be right back.

As Pat walked away, Prue heard her name.

"Prue?"

Prue immediately started scanning the room.

"Piper?" she asked.

Piper came running to her from a bed behind a curtain across the room.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Pue replied.

"Phoebe?"

"They just brought her in. They won't let me see her," Piper said distraught.

Prue got up from her bed and started for the nurse's station with Piper in hand.

"My sister was brought in and I haven't been told anything. What's happening?" Prue demanded of the woman even before she was able to get her attention.

The nurse looked back at her annoyed.

"A doctor will be with you as soon as possible."

"My sister was brought in and I demand to know how she is!"

"Listen, lady, there's only so much I can do so sit down and wait!"

Prue was about to retort something when she heard Grams's voice.

"Prudence, enough," Penny said with a harsh tone. "Listen to my you need to give me an update and give me an update now! I will not leave this station until I know exactly what's going on!"

The nurse was taken aback and pulled out a file.

"She was just brought in. She lost consciousness at the scene and they are examining her now. A doctor will be out soon to inform you of any injuries."

"Better be," Penny said in a threatening tone.

She brought the girls into the waiting room. Just as they hit the cushions Penny turned to them.

"H-H-How did this happen?" Penny asked stunned.

Piper looked over at Prue and then back at Grams.

"We were having an argument," Piper said quietly.

"Prudence!" Penny yelled standing up. "You cannot yell at them especially while you're driving. Every time you get behind the wheel you are responsible for them. Every time you talk to some one you don't know. Everything is a danger! You need to be smart about these things. What could you possibly be upset about now?"

Prue couldn't find her words. She couldn't look Grams in the eye.

"Look at me, Prue!" Penny yelled. "Your sister is lying back there on some table unconscious because of you and I want an explanation, NOW!"

When Prue looked up, Penny didn't se the fierce look of determination anymore. She saw a child. Prue's eyes were pooled with tears.

"I know that, and I'm sorry," Prue whispered.

Before Penny could respond Prue walked passed her and out the front entrance.

Prue let the rush into her lungs and the sobs came. She couldn't breathe. She hadn't been able to for a long time. She had always felt like she was sofocating and now with Phoebe in the hospital, she couldn't do this. Prue's feet quickened as she walked away from the hospital. This was her fault. She knew that it was. She had been so angry and upset that she didn't get what she wanted that she didn't even see the other car coming. If she had stopped thinking about herself for a second, Phoebe would be okay. She couldn't be here. She had to get away. She walked into the city she walked as far as she could. She wanted to walk away the pain.


End file.
